Build the file
Keep contracts, orders, invoices, delivery evidence, objections and partial payments. Identify the amount, currency and due date. An invoice may not tell the whole story.
Check whether the debt is disputed
Silence differs from a complaint about the work. Record the customer’s reasons and examine any supporting evidence.
Assess available procedures
EU procedures cover certain cross-border disputes. A European order for payment concerns monetary claims in cases covered by its rules. Check scope, jurisdiction, requirements and possible opposition; it is not universal.
An imagined example
Delivery is acknowledged, but the customer says parts were missing. Transport documents and messages may matter as much as the invoice.
Consider actual recovery
Before major expense, examine the debtor company, assets that could be enforced against and possible agreements. Interest and costs depend on the applicable law and contract. A favourable court order alone does not guarantee payment.
